FBINAA Associate Magazine Oct/Dec 2021

Continued from "COVID", on page 28

Continued from "A Message from Our Chaplain", on page 21

from the top to the bottom. The culture of the organization is the heartbeat, and the employees act as blood pumping through the entire system. The post-COVID worker will be keen to sense if the culture is genuine and if the organization professes to value em- ployees’ work-life balance, their experiences will soon let them know if the agency only “talks the talk” or if they “walk the walk.” How an employee is valued and what benefits are offered to help their work-life balance may make one employer more attractive than another. Start by taking time to find out the needs of your current and prospective employees. Single parents and families with young children will face greater challenges than ever in finding and affording quality childcare. Can your organi- zation compete with career fields that offer childcare or flexibility in the work schedule for childcare arrangements or caring for an elderly parent? Promoting a ‘family first’ and ‘personal wellness’ mentality might be a significant shift for some agencies, but it might be very necessary to recruit and retain employees. In case you missed it, recruiting was already difficult with- out adding the new challenge of post-pandemic shifting values and priorities of the workforce. It will be challenging but we can do this. Public safety is dependent upon the ability of law enforcement leaders and their teams to reframe how they value employees and how they can encourage, enrich, and replenish agencies in this new environment. About the Author: Kim Edmondson recently retired as a Captain with the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office after 29+ years. Prior to retirement, she led the Investiga- tions and Professional Standards Division. Professional Standards included Recruitment, Background Inves- tigations, Training, Policy Development, and Internal Affairs. Kim started her career in Detention and moved throughout the organization. She was the agency’s first female Captain – and was the first female Major, prior to a reorganization, where she managed a 327-bed facility during an expansion. Kim earned her M.A. in Organizational Leadership with Gonzaga University and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy - Session 243. Kim can be reached at Kim.Edmondson243@gmail.com. Your mission is crucial. You cannot fail.

“We know from previous research that certain mindfulness practices have resulted in positive physical and mental health out- comes,” says Richard Davidson , William James & Vilas Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry at University of Wisconsin–Madi- son. “I believe we have a moral obligation to expand this work in key areas where people could benefit the most from these practices, including professions that are more at risk.” (spoon, 2016) The benefits of mindfulness training: • Improved working memory and increased capacity with greater positive affect and lowered negative affect. • Decreased negative thinking behavior by detaching from one’s feelings and emotions. • Positive outcomes by alleviating symptoms of generalized and social anxiety and depres-sion while increasing self- esteem. • Reduced emotional reactivity through mental disengagement and focus on task at hand while utilizing better coping strategies. • Enhanced visual attention, concentration, awareness and emotional stability. • Reduced stress exhibiting greater positive states of mind and fewer post-traumatic avoid-ance symptoms, such as loss of interest in activities. • Managing physical and chronic pain by reducing psychological distress with heightened mental focus and concentration • Decreased negative thinking behavior by detaching from “Practice sharing the fulness of your best self, your enthusiasm, your vitality, your sprit, your trust, your openness, above all, your presence. Share it with yourself, with your family, with the world.” (Jon-Kabat Zinn) Long term stress can be life threatening and it’s never too late to make a change. “Have I not commanded you ? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 one’s feelings and emotions. (Dr. Jorey L Krawczyn, 2021)

May the spirit of God’s will—be with you always.

Continued from "Rapid DNA", on page 19

About the Authors: Chief Joey Reynolds (Retired), is a graduate of the 184th Session, 2017 FBINAA National Academy and is a Past National president. He is cur- rently the Business Development Manager for North America for Thermo Fisher Scientific. He can be reached at Joey.reynolds@thermofisher.com . Mr. Dane Plaza is the Director of Federal Operations at Bode Technology located in Lorton, Virginia. Mr. Plaza is responsible for the technical oversight and program management of numerous federal forensic research and operations programs supporting various groups with the United States Government. He is currently serving as the Program Manager for a program that is providing services to a USG entity that is utilizing rapid DNA along the Southwest US border to identify and deter possible child trafficking by identifying fraudulent family units attempting to cross the border. He pos- sesses over ten years of programmanagement experi- ence and 17 years of experience in plant, bacterial, and human genomics including several publications and presentations at various national forensic conferences. Mr. Plaza holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Viterbo University in LaCrosse Wisconsin.

Mike Hardee FBINAA Chaplain Session 232

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